By Anna Harrison; graphic by Karina Delgado Fernandez 1. “For early career roles, it’s really important to read the job description.” -Mariah Ramirez, Paramount This may sound self-explanatory, but it’s good to read, re-read, and re-read the job description so you know exactly what skills a company is looking for—be sure to get specifics. When you arrive, be prepared with specific examples from your own life that are applicable to this job. Are they looking for someone with Excel experience? Mention all the times you have specifically worked with Excel—don’t just say a blanket, “Yes, I’ve worked with Excel.” 2. “Apply to as many jobs as possible just to get your resume seen.” -Michelle Liu, Roku When you’re early in your career, it’s important to get your name out there. Even if you don’t have all the skills or experience necessary, it never hurts to apply, and someone may file your name away for future reference. 3. “Look for how [your] current skill set can apply to the roles.” -Mariah Ramirez, Paramount Once you read the job description, look to your own skills to see which ones carry over to this new role. If something isn’t a one-to-one match, can you still apply it in some way? Just because you don’t currently have the exact same skillset doesn’t mean you don’t have any transferable skills to bring to the table. Do you know anyone at the company you’re applying to? Ask them to take a look at your resume. Ask a friend of a friend if they know anyone. 4. “Separate yourself from the crowd.” -Jim Molloy, Spectrum Reach There’s good standing out and there’s bad standing out—be sure to do the former. Put effort and passion into your application, let the company know how interested you are, and follow up. 5. “Stay in touch.” -Michelle Liu, Roku Even if you aren’t chosen for a job, stay in contact with anyone you talked to. Don’t nag, but check in every so often to see if there’s something new. Eventually, the wrong place, wrong time can become the right place, right time. 6. “It’s about being proactive.” -Jim Molloy, Spectrum Reach If you know someone who works for a company, ask if they can look over your resume. Ask a friend of a friend if they know anyone—you might be surprised at how big your network is if you reach out.

By Cole Friedman Graduating into a global pandemic is not something I would ever recommend. Finishing my studies at Tufts University in the Fall of 2020, I found myself unemployed, stuck at home, and disconnected from the work I wanted to do in media. How was I supposed to make connections and find community when I couldn’t meet people in-person? As luck would have it, a networking group I was in posted about the then upcoming 2021 FUTURE NOW Media and Entertainment Conference, which piqued my interest. An opportunity to get face time with working professionals in the media and entertainment industry? Sign me up! I quickly put together an application using script coverage I had written for a previous internship and an essay that spoke about my dream of working in television and hit submit. When I heard that I was accepted, I was elated. The Conference seemed like the perfect place to learn more about the field I wanted to work in. As the week of the Conference approached, I combed through the bios of every speaker, fascinated by the diversity of paths each person had taken throughout their careers. As someone who only knew the names of writers and directors in TV and film, it was stunning to realize the breadth of people involved in bringing these stories to life; all the programming executives, advertising assistants, and consulting groups involved. The Conference taught me that there was more than one or two jobs available within the media and entertainment landscape for recent graduates. Attending the Conference virtually, I was also surprised by how a digital community was fostered. Having the chance to break out into smaller rooms with other attendees allowed me to meet students from across the country who had similar stories to mine. Chatting about the isolation we were feeling and the aspirations that felt just out of reach really made me close to these strangers in a beautiful way. After the 2021 FUTURE NOW Media and Entertainment Conference, I felt both less alone and more engaged than I had been previously with the industry. Knowing that there were other students searching and that there was more than one door for us to enter through gave me some peace of mind as I moved forward in my job search. Now that I’m employed, no longer living at home, and a part of this vast media landscape, I’m so excited to connect with more students this year at the 2022 FUTURE NOW Media and Entertainment Conference. Apply now!

By Cole Friedman, FN alum '21 Are you looking for mentorship? Someone to help you get a better understanding of the media industry, provide guidance, and help you navigate your career journey? A few weeks ago, I participated in a FUTURE NOW Speed Mentoring Event, one of many events that FUTURE NOW puts on throughout the year, and it exceeded my expectations. If you missed it, don’t worry. There’s still time to apply to attend the 2022 FUTURE NOW Media & Entertainment Conference, where you will have the chance to participate in mentoring sessions with industry professionals and make valuable connections. Here’s how the speed mentoring worked: the mentees were broken out into small groups for twenty-minute sessions with mentors from the industry; you could ask any questions or seek advice about specific career issues or challenges you are facing. There were thirteen (13) mentors, hailing from companies like AMC Networks, Disney, Paramount, Sesame Workshop, MediaLink, and others, who fielded questions from over sixty-five (65) mentees, creating intimate groups of five people for each session. In the first round of mentoring, I was paired with Zuri Rice, SVP, Head of Video Development and Content Strategy for Hearst Magazines. After everyone briefly introduced themselves, Rice told us how she started her career in unscripted television before taking on roles in children’s television and digital media content, emphasizing how she followed her interests every step of the way. “What do you want out of your career,” Rice asked us to consider, which kicked off a round of great discussion amongst the group, as several members were fascinated by her continual career shifts. I personally really appreciated hearing her story, especially as someone with multiple interests across the media and entertainment industry. After our session with Rice ended, the entire group reconvened to share what we learned from our respective mentors. Hearing the advice of “retaining the spirit of a child” from those who spoke with Louis Henry Mitchell, Creative Director of Character Design at Sesame Workshop, and the importance of “making sure that people believe what you’re saying” from attendees who spent time with Giovanna Noguera, Account Executive at Discovery US Hispanic, was wonderful, especially since I didn’t have the chance to interact with those mentors during my sessions that day. In the second session, I was in the group with Lauren Morrissey, SVP of Platform Distribution at The Walt Disney Company. Morrissey, like Rice, highlighted her winding career path. She graduated from college with a degree in religious studies, and landed roles in book publishing and ad sales by networking and following her interests. I especially enjoyed hearing Morrissey talk about her current role in Distribution, where she oversees third-party media sales for all Disney properties, as it was an area of media, I knew little about previously. To close things out, we regathered with the larger group, where this time, some of the mentors shared about common themes they heard in both sessions. Lisa Bull, VP of Marketing at Paramount recapped discussions about how to showcase leadership skills as an entry-level professional and how to be proactive and additive. Louis Henry Mitchell’s groups talked about how not to get jaded and to have fun. Mitchell shared, “Play is serious business with children. We got to remember how to keep playing." More than one person noted the varied backgrounds of the mentors, finding it freeing to know that many of them didn’t know what they wanted to do upon graduation, but eventually found their way into the careers they now enjoy. Such valuable (and comforting) lessons can only be learned when professionals can share what they know with students at events like these…something that FUTURE NOW specializes in. Getting involved with FUTURE NOW as a volunteer after my experience at the annual conference last year has helped me become more knowledgeable about the industry and be a part of the media community. So, why not do the same for yourself? Apply to the upcoming Conference; attend the Leadership Talks, workshops, and events; and sign up to Volunteer. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

By Anna Harrison Applying for jobs can be stressful and overwhelming for anyone, especially if you’re a graduating senior and don’t know where to begin. FUTURE NOW is here to help. Recently, FUTURE NOW had special Info Sessions with recruiters from Spectrum Reach, Spectrum Networks, and Publicis Media. Here are some great tips and insights they shared on how to move forward with confidence: 1. RESEARCH the company you are interested in. Hiring managers want to know WHY you’re interested in working at THEIR COMPANY. Having a vague answer will not help your cause. So, take the time to research the company, get clarity about WHY you want to work there, and get specific. 2. SHOW ENERGY and ENTHUSIASM! This doesn’t mean you have to be a chatterbox and an extrovert but show energy in your voice, posture, and expression. Be proactive and curious. Demonstrate your interest by sharing what you’ve read about the company’s latest news and announcements and asking smart questions. It can go a long way and shows that you would be a dedicated employee. 3. CONSIDER DIFFERENT JOB OPPORTUNITIES. It’s okay to apply for different jobs at the same company. Be open to possibilities but be thoughtful and tailor your resume and/or cover letter to the job you’re applying for. 4. APPLY, APPLY, APPLY. Even if you don’t think you’re a 100% match for a job, because you’re missing a few of the qualifications, apply anyway. Go for it—there’s no harm in trying, and there’s no reward without a bit of risk. And, in the meantime, work on getting the qualifications! That’s you being PROACTIVE and that’s impressive! 5. FOLLOW YOUR PASSION. That passion will be visible to others, and that will help you get to where you want to go. You may have all the technical skills, but without passion and purpose, what’s the point? Recruiters want to hire people who care about what they do, are driven, and thus, will put effort into their work. If you care, it will show.

By Anna Harrison, FN alum '21 The spring semester of my senior year was, frankly, terrible. My classes were virtual, my internship was rapidly draining both my sanity and patience, and what little social interaction I had came either from my horses or my Dungeons and Dragons group, which probably says a lot about me. I was a semi-regular with my career counselor, but my job applications went unanswered, and my frustration only mounted. I felt unmoored and was searching for a lifeline. (We’ve all been there.) After someone in Emory’s Film Studies department forwarded an advertisement for the FUTURE NOW Media and Entertainment Conference, I decided to apply. It wasn’t quite a lifeline, but it was something—a little bit of flotsam to hold onto. I had very little idea of what would actually go on at the Conference, only that it was the first organization I had seen aimed at who I was—an upcoming graduate passionate for the media and entertainment industry but struggling to figure out how to break in and get a job. To know that there was a group dedicated to helping students and soon-to-be graduates like me was an enormous comfort. The Conference itself turned out to be illuminating, dynamic, and practical, running the gamut from panels and talks about the industry to skills workshops to info sessions with recruiters to speed mentoring sessions where student attendees connected with mentors from the industry. But to me, the most valuable take away from the Conference was the knowledge that I was not alone in my floundering and the realization that there were paths for me out there that I didn’t even know existed: program development, production, ad sales, gaming, sports, the list goes on. Suddenly, my dreams seemed more attainable. I learned that there is no one singular path that works for everyone, and that there are actually more paths than I had ever thought possible. That realization, more than the cover letter tips or even the conversation with Tina Fey, was what has stuck with me the most. In an industry as seemingly vast and hard to break into as this one, you might feel like the smallest fish in the biggest pond, but the perspective that FUTURE NOW has given me has proved invaluable. Transitioning from college to the “real world” comes with its own unique set of anxieties, especially for those who want to go into the media and entertainment industry, but the FUTURE NOW Conference was like a tonic—not a guarantee of anything, but a reassurance that you can do it and break in and that they are there to support your journey. Of course, in many ways, the Conference is what you make of it. You can skate through with your computer on in the background, scribbling the occasional note, or you can commit. That doesn’t just mean actively listening, it means engaging…asking questions, reaching out to the speakers, connecting with alums, and more. (Don’t worry if you’re shy about talking to people—one benefit of a virtual setting is that no one will be able to see your face or hear your voice, so don’t worry if your ears turn red.) The only reason I have a job right now is because I stumbled upon the jackpot that is FUTURE NOW and I followed up—don’t let this opportunity pass you by. It has quite literally changed my life, and yours could be next.

By Anna Harrison, FN alum '21 Last month, Magalie Laguerre-Wilkinson sat down for a talk with FUTURE NOW’s CEO and Founder, Peggy Kim. Laguerre-Wilkinson’s storied career has included a 15-year stint at 60 Minutes, which garnered her the Peabody and the Emmys that now adorn her office. Today, she is the Vice President of News Programming at Nickelodeon and the Executive Producer of Nick News. Laguerre-Wilkinson’s career path was formed from a young age. “I came from a very politically active Haitian family, so growing up there was always a radio on or a newspaper stacked up,” she explained. Shows like 60 Minutes were her “background noise.” And so, it was no surprise when after her freshman year of college, she landed an internship at a Fox 5 station in New York that quickly became a permanent job. “Just being in that really electric environment… that was it. I was sold. I loved it,” Laguerre-Wilkinson said. Every day brought new challenges, and she met them head-on. After working at Fox 5 for several years, she moved on into positions at MSNBC and NBC before landing at 60 Minutes, where news legends like Mike Wallace, Ed Bradley, Morley Safer, and Bob Simon walked the hallowed halls. Laguerre-Wilkinson traveled the world jumping on planes at a moment’s notice to cover stories and lived the journalist’s life of long days and sleepless nights. But, after having her first child while working at NBC, she had to rethink her career. “My move to 60 Minutes was both the realization of a dream…and also [rethinking] how we’re going to do this thing called parenthood and have a career at the same time,” she told listeners. While last-minute flights to cover developing stories became (slightly) less common, Laguerre-Wilkinson took a title demotion and a pay cut to spend more time with her family. Still, her days of gallivanting to far-off places were far from over—Laguerre-Wilkinson made the hard decision to cut her maternity leave short to be the one to interview Nicolas Sarkozy, the president of France, with whom she had fostered a professional relationship over several years. “I left a barely six-week newborn in New York [and] I took a breast pump with me,” Laguerre-Wilkinson admitted. “Is this really all worth it?” she wondered. “This is madness.” But she “did it again about a month after in Venezuela,” and has always strived to maintain both her career and her family, even if it has sometimes been a hard balance to strike. Has she had any desire to switch fields after so many years working in such a demanding arena? Laguerre-Wilkinson’s answer was equal parts practical and poetic. “I have a husband and children and a family depending on me,” she pointed out. But, more than that, she added, “Every time my mind wanders off to this next thing that I would do, it always circles back to this.” It’s stories like Joy in the Congo, which she produced, that remind her of why she does what she does. It was that piece that netted her the awards perched on her desk (Laguerre-Wilkinson’s Peabody acceptance speech can be seen here) and the story remains one of her proudest accomplishments. She pitched the segment to her boss after learning about an orchestra in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, that was conducted by a former airline pilot. The pilot couldn’t sight-read music when he started, but now, he was leading a full-fledged orchestra. “We just knew we had something when we came back,” Laguerre-Wilkinson recounted. At the first screening, “there wasn’t a dry eye in the room,” and Joy in the Congo would go on to touch the hearts of the Peabody and Emmy voters as well. When she was presented the opportunity to become Vice President of News Programming at Nickelodeon, Laguerre-Wilkinson was excited to take on the challenge of serving a different and much younger audience. “There is no guidebook to either job,” Laguerre-Wilkinson admitted, but her years at 60 Minutes had prepared her well. “You don’t have to reinvent the wheel here—it’s pretty much the same thing. It’s just the language and the delivery [is] done in a different way.” Part of her success at Nickelodeon stems from the fact that she doesn’t shy away from heavy topics. If adult news stations discussed the death of George Floyd and resulting cultural shifts, so would Nick News. Laguerre-Wilkinson also spearheaded a segment on environmental racism, and though some accused Nickelodeon of “indoctrinating kids,” she is adamant that “there is never opinion in anything I do.” “There’s always going to be somebody unhappy out there… but I’m not making it up,” she said. “We’re telling the story. We have people living there and dealing with these things.” The integrity of the journalism profession has come under fire in recent years as cultural divides have grown, and the line between journalism and punditry or commentary has become more blurred. “There used to be a time in news…where there was commentary at the end of a program, and [the channel] would call it that.” Laguerre-Wilkinson told listeners how critical it is to keep that distinction clear. As the conversation turned towards leadership, Laguerre-Wilkinson described her style as very hands-on and emphasized the importance of mutual respect. “I’ve always known through the years what I won’t do [as a leader], because I think that an unhappy person gives you poor results by denying people a chance or not respecting what some of their personal situations might be,” she said. Having been subject to poor leadership at times throughout her career, Laguerre-Wilkinson works hard to be the type of leader she would want to be led by. Good leadership through empathy and understanding “makes people a bit inclined to do more,” and as a result, her staff “are coloring out of the lines in a good way… they want to be a part of this.” Looking back at her younger self, Laguerre-Wilkinson had two pieces of advice: pick your battles and don’t say yes to everything. “There are certain things you can put your foot down about,” she said. Doing too much too fast may lead to burnout, even if it’s hard to say “no” when just starting out in the industry. But being a “yes man” may create more stress down the road. “I’d rather do three things at 100%... then say yes to 15 things that are all just going to be ‘meh’ or ‘mediocre,’” she said. Wise words for our future leaders…100%!

By Yasmina Cabrera Burnout is the result of chronic workplace stress, it can lead to feelings of cynicism and exhaustion. Here are some tips to take better care of yourself and avoid burning out. Take Breaks. When you feel yourself becoming tired or frustrated, step away from your tasks. Go for a walk, or engage in other stress-relieving hobbies. Prioritize. When you come back to your tasks with a fresh perspective, tackle them in a different order. This can keep you from feeling stuck. Ask for help. When you begin to feel stressed ask for help from a friend or colleague. They may be able to help with your workload, or offer much needed advice. Unplug. Know when to stop working and turn away from your screen at the end of the day. This can help you to prevent overstimulation. Get Good Sleep. Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule is the best way to avoid burning out. Sleep guarantees that you will start the day refreshed, and with enough energy to take on your work.

By Anna Harrison Louis Henry Mitchell, the Creative Director of Character Design at Sesame Street Workshop, has the honored distinction of being the only FUTURE NOW speaker to have his own page on the Muppet Wiki. This honor, of course, did not appear out of thin air, but as a result of years of dedication and hard work, and in a Leadership Talk last month with FUTURE NOW Founder and CEO Peggy Kim, Mitchell gifted the audience with some of the things he has learned along the way. Mitchell was around nine years old when Sesame Street began airing, and while he was initially blasé about it, “as time went on, I saw these people of different colors. That’s a Black guy there! It was really kind of shocking, to be honest, because you didn’t see that that often.” Inspired by the inclusivity that Sesame Street promoted and intrigued by the mechanics of the puppets, Jim Henson “became not just my hero, but like a mentor. You don’t always have to connect directly with [mentors]—you can read about them; you can study them.” Though Mitchell had yet to meet him, he followed Henson’s career, and eventually got a call from the Sesame Workshop in 1992. But, just how did Mitchell get to Sesame Street? Mitchell spent his childhood immersed in art of all kinds. Though his father wanted him to join the army and was more concerned about the practical necessities of life like free medical coverage, his mother encouraged his creative talent. She bought him his first sketchpad when he was eight. “It blew my mind,” Mitchell confessed. “She thinks I’m worth a sketchpad?” That moment was like a “seismic jolt of lightning” that spurred Mitchell onward in his creative journey. He even taught himself to play piano by ear. “My visual artwork, my musical artwork, and I also write a lot too, they all come from the same place,” Mitchell explained. Mitchell credits much of his drive to his mother, who “kept encouraging me towards this creative life.” Her wisdom and faith in her son ensured that, even if he had doubts, “The naysayers never got a vote in my life. She made me bulletproof inside. Whenever I had to go and do something, that sense of security that she put in my heart, inside, was like armor and I was able to reach out for so many different things.” The self-confidence that she inspired helped Mitchell make it all the way to the Sesame Workshop, where he says that “I haven’t worked a day in 30 years.” At Sesame Street, Mitchell oversees “the characters to make sure they’re being represented correctly, whether it’s an illustration [or] it’s three-dimensional with puppets.” He has been the driving force behind the creation of characters like Julia, a girl with autism, and Ji-Young, a Korean American girl whose existence was spurred by the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes the past couple of years. Mitchell doesn’t necessarily see himself as an activist; rather, he sees and responds to what the culture needs, and he emphasizes that these characters are not created as a knee-jerk reaction to current events, but come from thoughtful recommendations from the education and research departments. “We really, really do care about the communities we represent,” he told the audience. This means that Mitchell does a lot of his own research as well, as Frank Oz did before him. He and his teams will talk to people and artists from the groups they are aiming to represent, creating a collaborative atmosphere—as he said, “I have to vanish and become those characters.” So, it’s vital to learn about their cultures. “It’s really important to anchor real life to what’s going on here, because we’re not just entertaining,” Mitchell explained. “There’s entertainment involved, but it’s really about connecting to the culture and the people you’re talking to.” All of this collaboration means that Mitchell has cultivated and grown his leadership skills over the years, and he guides his team “with a gentle hand, but definitely with a very strong conviction.” Citing Tom Peters’ In Search of Excellence and A Passion for Excellence as inspiration, he tries to live by example and let humility be his guide. To Mitchell, that means understanding that “It’s not about you. When you have to lead other people, if ego gets in the way, you start getting distracted.” With both his team and the characters he creates (though they may be puppets held together with cloth and string), Mitchell always keeps “humanity [at] the forefront of everything.” While characters like Ji-Young confront issues in our society, Mitchell wants to “address humanity… mostly towards encouragement, not so much dealing with problems. There’s always a problem, but I’d rather shine a light on the possibilities of what human beings are capable of.” Even when his team wrestles with heavy topics and have to find a way to make issues like racism approachable for preschoolers, Mitchell’s approach is to celebrate the creativity and kindness of people at their core. As he says, “Human beings, we really are sensational.”

By Cole Friedman According to Christine Olson, SVP of Ad Sales Midwest Office at A+E Networks, “You can’t teach passion.” At a FUTURE NOW Leadership Talk on January 26th, hosted by FUTURE NOW Founder and CEO Peggy Kim, Olson advised the audience of aspiring media professionals to be honest with themselves about what drives and motivates them in life…something she has had to figure out for herself as well. Recalling her college years and graduation from DePauw University with a degree in communications, Olson confessed that it was a time of great indecision. “It was a tough job market, and I had no idea [where to start].” Everything changed, however, when she met with a DePauw alumnus who worked in ad sales for E! Network. “[The alum] said, ‘Look, it’s a fun business,’” Olson remembers. “It’s pop culture, plus you really get to do a lot very early in your career.” Her interest was piqued, and she decided to focus her efforts on getting a job at a media agency. Olson started at a small direct response agency before moving to a mid-sized media company affiliated with Wrigley Gum. She found that staying curious about the work her managers and associates were doing served her well. “I remember very vividly,” said Olson, “sitting in my boss’ office, she was on the phone, and I was just listening. And then she’d hang up, and I would say, ‘Okay, when you said this, what did they say?’” Asking questions demystified the ins-and-outs of the business for her. Olson then eventually moved to StarCom, where she spent almost 15 years building her skills and rising through the ranks to become a Senior Vice President. How Olson got to A+E, however, is a true testament to this executive’s desire to constantly learn and grow. “I was ready for a change,” Olson shared. She knew she wanted to stay in the media and advertising business but was looking for a new journey within it. Using her connections, Olson managed to get a meeting with the A+E Ad Sales team. She moved to New York and took a major demotion to join A+E as an account executive. Reflecting on the move to Kim, Olson knew she “had information and perspective that was valuable to them” since she was coming from the agency side of the business, and she also knew she had to prove that she could do the job to earn respect within the company. The gamble paid off. Within 18 months, Olson jumped from Account Executive to Vice President, and in 2020, she was promoted to SVP. On leadership, Olson thrives on a collaborative style. During the COVID pandemic, she and her direct reports started having shorter but more frequent meetings, and they realized that “it drove more collaboration and enjoyment of the team.” Olson has also learned to ask more questions to illicit feedback and make sure everyone feels connected. “People may not always speak up, so I try to ask the questions more about how it’s going, or should we adjust certain things,” she noted. Listening and asking the right questions are skills that have also helped Olson serve her clients well. She is constantly investigating and digging deeper into what advertisers are after when they’re purchasing airtime. “Are you really trying to target an age or are you trying to find someone who wants to buy a mattress? And how do we get to the behavioral insights?” Olson encouraged the student audience to explore how their passions can be brought into their careers. “Lean in where you see a need.” She also advised them to take initiative; reach out; ask questions; and show interest. Olson cited the example of how two employees at A+E, Kirby Dixon and Amira Lewally, pitched a podcast to management about cultural achievements made by Black people, and got the greenlight to move forward. Now the award-winning show The Table Is Ours, funded by the company, is in its second season on Lifetime. Olson specifically highlighted how Dixon and Lewally leaned on each other for support. “Find those people that can build you up when you need it,” she encouraged, “because that’s what gets you over the hump.”

By Logan Soter-Reardon, FN alum '21 The FUTURE NOW Mentoring Program pairs selected mentee applicants from among FUTURE NOW alumni with an experienced mentor to help guide them to success. The nine-month program plays a vital role in the personal and professional growth and development of future industry leaders. Jennifer Zaurov, a dual MBA student at Pace University, is one of the twenty applicants chosen to be in the 2021-2022 cohort. She was paired with Gennifer Birnbach, an award-winning marketing copywriter and branding consultant, who worked for companies like Viacom, Oxygen Media, and NBCUniversal before starting her own company, Gennifer with a G. Over the past few months, the two have developed SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and anchored within a Time Frame—to help further Zaurov’s career in media. According to Birnbach, managing one’s personal development is just as crucial to one’s success as advancing one’s profession. “As a mentee, you come in, hoping someone’s going to give you the magic recipe of how to get your great job or your promotion,” she said. “No matter what it is that you’re striving for in your career, it always ends up coming back to your internal peace and clarity.” Zaurov, a first-generation American, says her SMART goals have led her to new locations, opened her eyes to new career options, and have helped her with the anxiety that comes with beginning your professional journey. “Something that we’re learning is instead of me thinking ‘This is how we do things,’ is building my own path,” Zaurov said. “It’s not one certain path or everything blows up. You can take so many different things and have so many different passions and not let other people limit you in what you want to do.” Zaurov says her goals during the program have been evolving as her personal and professional life has been growing. Being flexible with her goals has actually helped her keep things on track, and having a mentor through the process has made an enormous difference. “Sometimes it takes a mentor to see things from a different perspective and tell you ‘Hey, you’re doing well in these areas, but you could improve in the others,’” Zaurov said. “You’re not gonna see it until someone points it out, and I appreciate just honesty in that way.” For Birnbach, she says one of the most important aspects when creating goals is to be unabashed and to base them on what you truly want to do. “Dream big, there’s nothing stopping you except you,” Birnbach said. “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.” Zaurov said she used to be more worried when her career growth wasn’t going as planned. The Mentoring Program has taught her to be patient and to take everything as it comes. “The thing that I’ve most learned is to take things slow,” Zaurov said. “Really enjoy those passions, figure out what it is you like about that passion, and don’t pressure yourself.” Both Zaurov and Birnbach say they have learned valuable things from each other throughout the Mentoring Program. “It’s not just me guiding her, but it’s a mutual exchange of encouragement, intelligent dialogue or inspiration,” Birnbach said. “You come in with a mentor, you expect it sort of to be through a screen, buttoned up, kind of scared to speak with someone, but I just honestly think it’s like a therapy session,” Zaurov said. “The realizations just keep flowing and flowing.” The fourth cohort of the FUTURE NOW Mentoring Program will begin in September 2022. Applications will open in June. To be eligible, you must be an alumnus / alumna of the FUTURE NOW Media & Entertainment Conference. So, if you haven’t experienced the conference yet, go to , and apply now; deadline is March 1. This is a not to miss event and a pathway to access to the Mentoring Program and much more.

By Grace Boyle Know Your Strengths – Write down your top three strengths. Then, make sure you have a story for each that illustrates WHY you possess that particular trait. These should be your rock star qualities that will help you stand out from others. Know Your Weaknesses (And How to Talk About Them) – On the flip side, as much as we would like to be amazing at everything, no one is perfect. Everyone has areas where they can improve. Make sure you know what your own weaknesses are and then talk about how you are working to overcome them. Do More Than Just Google the Company – Anyone can do a simple Google search of a company and look at their website. Go deeper. For example, if they are a tech company with physical products, go to a store, test out their product, talk to the product rep, learn about how it works, etc. Talk to people currently at the company to build relationships and learn about the company culture. Interviewers will be impressed that you went the extra mile. Embrace What Makes You Unique – There is truly no one else that shares your same story. Embrace what makes you, YOU! Companies want to see who you are, what you bring to the table, and how you will make them better as a company. As cliché as it sounds, it is important to be yourself. Know How to Tell a Story – The best way to answer interview questions is to tell a succinct and informative story illustrating what skills make you ideal for the role. Be sure to provide the “why” behind each of your answers. Send a Timely Thank You Email – Sending a thank you email after your interview is extremely important. Always acknowledge and thank people for taking the time out of their day to get to know you. It shows your attitude of gratitude and professionalism, and it is an opportunity for you to reiterate your interest in the job. If you do not have their contact information, ask for it at the end of the interview. Chances are, they will be happy to give it you.

By Cole Friedman “There is an opportunity for everyone as you’re jumping into new companies to lean in and acknowledge that things will be different.” At a recent FUTURE NOW Leadership Talk on November 17th, 2021, with FUTURE NOW Founder and CEO Peggy Kim, Donna Sharp advised attendees to lean into change throughout their careers, as it’s been something that’s served her well. And as the Managing Director of MediaLink, a leading consulting firm for major marketing and media companies, Sharp knows what she’s talking about. Graduating from college in 2006, Sharp originally investigated marketing as a career because it seemed exciting to her, having learned about this possible path from her college career center. Joining Starcom, a media and marketing agency based in Chicago, right out of school, she remembers feeling immediately valued for her social media knowledge. “I was the only person on the [digital media] team who had a Facebook account at the time,” Sharp recalled proudly. Her initial experiences in the industry taught her that she, along with any other young person starting out, had something to add to the conversation. Additionally, she found that working within a media agency gave her an outstanding education about the complex ecosystem of media. She learned that “about 75% of the people doing that marketing work [at large companies such as Coca-Cola or Apple]…sit at agencies, they don’t sit within the brands themselves.” Compiling research, developing resources, and negotiating for clients in Sharp’s entry-level role exposed her to the real work required for a company to be heard in a crowded marketplace. As she navigated the industry, Sharp developed a love for connecting companies with the right people and technologies, as well as helping large brands tackle problems from multiple angles, which is what ultimately drew her to consulting. She found that investigating brands from an outsider perspective revealed to her the trends and issues many media organizations engage with daily. Sharp notes that, as a consultant, “you actually find that there are similar challenges being attacked within different companies.” Sharp’s hunger to learn and expand her experience in the global marketplace led her to a life- and career-changing three-year stint in China. She took advantage of her then-company’s international connections to transfer to China, seeing the move as the biggest possible challenge with the biggest possible reward. She didn’t know the language or the culture, but she was eager to learn and was driven to meet any challenge. Sharp discovered that the cultural shock and linguistic barrier forced her “out of being a micro-manager.” She had to completely trust her local team members since she couldn’t read their work, which was in Mandarin Chinese. Leaning into this trust and team-focused mentality made the experience rewarding for her as a manager, and she took the lessons of empathy and understanding into her next roles. Drawing on her experience abroad, Sharp advised the audience of young professionals to stay curious, both about their work and the future of the industry. She encouraged the attendees to value their consumption of media. “We’re all content creators and we’re all consumers of media, and so, your ability to not only be savvy on the platforms…but being able to take a step back and recognize…[how to translate] your participation in this trend for a brand or advertiser [will help you go far in your career]. Additionally, when asked about what lies ahead for marketing and media, Sharp noted two big disruptions in media sales: the rise of subscription-based models over ad-supported mediums; and the role of influencers reaching consumers, a trend that Sharp saw happening in China back in 2013. “Understanding that business models are going to change” is key for young professionals, Sharp emphasized. Change is a constant. Embrace it!